


Karaoke Flashback

by ash_filled_words



Series: Whoops AU stories [3]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Actors, Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, Karaoke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-29
Updated: 2015-08-29
Packaged: 2018-04-17 19:22:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4678397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ash_filled_words/pseuds/ash_filled_words
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Survey Corps movie leads go out for a night of karaoke early in Jean's acting career.</p>
<p>(Jean backstory drabble for Whoopsidaisies)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Karaoke Flashback

**Author's Note:**

> So I mentioned late night karaoke in one of the chapters of Whoopsidaisies and kinda got a bug to write this little thing. 19-year-old Jean going out to a karaoke bar with Levi, Erwin, Mike, and Nanaba (they’d be in their mid-20s). I picked songs that were popular around 7 years ago (2008).
> 
> (Originally posted over on my Tumblr on 06/27/14.)

Jean sat slumped with his arms crossed on the too-hard couch, two over-sized blondes on either side of him.  Two extremely drunk young women were treating the bar to a sloppy and off-key rendition of “I Kissed a Girl”.  His fingers raked through the darker short hair below his undercut before returning to his chest.  
  
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were bored, Jean,” Mike said as he leaned in to be heard.  
  
The younger man just raised an eyebrow and waved his hand to the stage.  “This is really your idea of a good time?” he asked skeptically.  
  
“This?  No.  But wait until you hear Erwin or Nanaba.  They’re quite fantastic,” Mike replied, smiling down at the blonde woman curled up against his other side.  
  
There was a tap on one of Jean’s shoulders.  He looked back and saw Levi’s hand reaching around behind Erwin.  In it was a small metal flask that was currently poking his shoulder.  Eyebrows quirked up towards the black hair and Levi smirked.  “Take it and chill the fuck out, shitty brat,” he said loudly.  
  
Unscrewing the cap, Jean raised the flask to his nose, giving it a tentative sniff.  It was not always in his best interests to implicitly trust short-stack.  “It’s just whisky, Jean,” Mike told him.  With a grateful nod, Jean took a drink, savoring the burn of the strong alcohol.  
  
The two drunk girls finished their song and wobbled off the stage, laughing hysterically and barely holding one another up.  They tottered past the group of actors, one of the girls winking and blowing a kiss at Jean.  He shuddered.  
  
Levi stuck his head around Erwin and laughed, “Your gay is showing, Kirschstein.”  
  
“Right back at you, small fry,” Jean snorted.  Erwin’s hand clamped down on Levi’s shoulder as he tried to reach across and slap the laughing younger actor.   
  
“Levi, calm,” Erwin soothed him, pressing a kiss into the black hair.  Levi couldn’t resist flipping Jean off, prompting the big blonde man to dip his head, whispering something that made his cranky boyfriend sit up very straight.  They shared a look filled with a frightening level of heat.  Jean looked away, feeling like he was watching something very private, and took a few more sips from the flask.  
  
Mike and Nanaba had climbed up onto the stage and were choosing a song.  A few seconds later, the big screen behind them flashed the words “Colbie Caillat – ‘Realize’” and the music started almost right away.  Nanaba’s voice was actually lovely, meshing well with the range of the song.  Mike came in a few times with harmonies, his deep tone an interesting contrast to the woman’s gentle and sweet one.  
  
The pair shared several lingering looks, obviously knowing most of the words without having to look at the screen.  Jean’s lips curved into a half-smile, a sense of longing settling into his stomach.   _It’ll be nice to find a love like that some day_ , he thought.  Mike’s hand gently brushed along Nanaba’s jaw as they sang the last bit of harmony together.  
  
All the patrons in the karaoke bar started applauding loudly as the song finished.  The couple took a quick little bow, taking the microphone with them.  Arriving back at their seats, Mike held out a hand to Jean.  “Come on, youngin.  You’re next,” he said, a good-natured smile on his face that was impossible to say no to.  
  
Sighing, Jean stood up and took the mic.  Levi catcalled him as he stepped up to the monitor and he flipped the older man off.  Scrolling through the list of songs, he saw one that caught his eye and picked it.  He didn’t need to look at the screen behind him to know it said “Daughtry – ‘Feels Like Tonight’” in large text.  
  
With a deep breath, he waited for the cue.  His voice was hesitant at first, nervous.  He focused his eyes on the lyrics, imagining that he was in his room at home and singing this to someone special.  Someone who looked at him like Mike looked at Nanaba.  The guitars and drums came in and he let loose.  White-knuckled, he gripped the mic, singing the chorus from deep in his chest, surprising himself a little.  
  
His eyes drifted closed as he moved between the verses and chorus, the screen barely visible through his blonde lashes and the moisture building up along them.  When the song ended, the applause was louder than it had been for Mike and Nanaba.  Jean’s eyes fluttered open, shocked.  Nodding his head in thanks, he hopped down and returned to his friends.  
  
“Holy shit, Jean,” was all any of them could say.


End file.
